Dancing with the Devil
by hazydaze
Summary: Jack has returned but things aren’t like they were before, how will everyone adapt? JackxGwen...This fic isn't what you think it will be.


Title: Dancing with the Devil

Author: Bobbie-Rae (autumnrae89)

Rating: R for swearing.

Pairing: Jack/Gwen

Status: One-shot ficlet Complete

Warnings: None really

Spoilers: Up until 2x04 Meat.

Disclaimer: I, the writer of this fic do not own nor have ever claimed to have owned the characters of Torchwood who are copyright to the BBC and Russell T. Davis

Summary: Jack has returned but things aren't like they were before, how will everyone adapt?

Word Count: 1,188

A/N: This is unbeta'd as I just wanted to get something out there for feedback. The lyrics in the fic are a Breaking Benjamin song called Dancing with the Devil and comes from their album Phobia. (Bold italics are the lyrics but regular italics are thoughts.)

There were many unspoken words between Jack and his team, each one of them angry for his disappearance and each overjoyed at his return. Jack liked to watch them work, busying themselves with the hustle and bustle of the hub. Ianto would make coffee and gently place his hand on Tosh's shoulder when hers was ready. They didn't think he noticed things like that, but he did. Owen stood in deep contemplation over the mound of flesh that perplexed the team. Jack could almost see the cogs in Owen's mind turning. The comfort he found watching them soothed him.

But that still left Gwen. Sitting the conference room, Gwen was tapping her pen lightly on her knee as she picked up various photographs of the accident. Jack watched as the light glinted off her hair and how her gaze seemed utterly focused. But he knew better, her eyes would flicker every now and then in his direction as if she was assuring herself he was still there.

_**Here I stand helpless and left for dead, **_

Suddenly Jack's own gaze was irrevocably stuck on the diamond right that graced her left hand. She watched him watching her, her fingers self-consciously twiddle the band of white gold. He wanted to go to her in that moment. There was just something about Gwen Cooper that Jack couldn't deny, wherever she went he would gladly follow. _If only she could see that…_Jack sighed and made his way down from his office.

_**Close your eyes, so many days gone by,**_

Jack walked over to where Tosh had been working on a simulation of the creature they believed was being held against its will. It was a large whale like creature, probably unable to move by itself nor communicate its pain. That hit Jack in the gut like a crowbar. Even after everything he had seen he still couldn't stomach the pain of another living creature. To watch them die a slow and painful death while he remained eternal? It was unbearable. But whenever he let the pain in, he thought of Gwen. What would she say to comfort him? Again, his eyes travelled to where she now stood running down figures with Owen.

_**Easier to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right,**_

Gwen looked back at Jack, seemingly knowing whenever his eyes were on her. Whistling, she grabbed the team's attention, "So this is how it is going to be…" Her thoughts and concern was for Rhys, her fiancée who had idiotically gotten himself into trouble over his own fear for Gwen. Jack's thoughts wandered as she laid down what she believed was her law.

"Got a problem with that Jack?" She asked staring him down. Daring him to question her new found place…his place.

"Not a thing…you're the boss Gwen" Jack smiled exuberantly, his feelings a mask, a mask he forced himself to wear to keep Gwen from the darkness. But the more he watched her the more he felt like he had failed.

_**I believe in you, **_

Gwen Cooper, Head of Torchwood, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. The team had been so lost without Jack. Not just his guidance and knowledge in all things alien but without his presence, the darkness creped in. Gwen felt it seep into her more and more everyday. The lies became easier, the pain and anguish of others didn't jolt her as bad anymore. She was losing herself to Torchwood. The one thing she promised Jack she wouldn't do.

_**I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies,**_

His eyes had being slowly tearing her apart since she walked in from taking Rhys home. She wanted to ignore how it made her feel. She loved Rhys. Jack was…unpredictable, he had proved that with his disappearance. But he had come back to her, come back for her. The moment he touch the ring Gwen felt her heart break because she knew there was a barrier even she and Jack couldn't cross now.

Just thinking about it made her heart constrict so for the 40th time in the last 15 minutes Gwen looked up at Jack. He wasn't currently looking at her but at a screen that Tosh was showing him. His body was tense, coiled to strike out at whatever had agitated him. Sometimes Gwen forgot how dangerous Jack could be, it was never an issue between them. _He'd never hurt me._

_**I won't stay long in this world all so wrong, **_

Gwen felt her mobile ring in her pocket, pulling it out she walked over the ramp at the hub, passed Jack without so much as a glance. She was proud of herself for that. "Rhys?"

She smiled as she heard Rhys' warm voice on the other end of the line, even after it all she still felt an overwhelming sense of love for Rhys. Not even loving Jack could change that.

"Gwen, it's going down in a few hours so when do you want to meet up?" Rhys asked, he voice indicated he was nervous. Gwen would be too if she had to go in and pretend to be working for some real sick bastards.

"Gimme an hour and then I'll set you up," Gwen replied as Rhys agreed and hung up the other end. Clicking her phone shut she turned….straight into Jack., "Jesus Jack you scared me!"

_**Say goodbye as we dance with the devil tonight,**_

Jack laughed as Gwen's face flushed from her obvious shocked reaction. But still the two stood incredible close, every time one of them moved to get around the other, their bodies brushed gently. Gwen gently rested her hand on Jack bicep intent on telling him to move aside but his hand grabbed hers. "Jack…" Gwen whispered more like a question than anything. Her gaze trained the floor, she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to her question.

_**Don't you dare look him in the eye,**_

But damn her to hell, Gwen looked up right into Jack's eyes. Before she even understood what she was doing, Gwen closed her eyes. Jack's lips gently brushed over hers, barely a kiss but held so much more. Again, he kissed her but with a little more pressure. Gwen's hand gently rose to cup Jack's warm cheek as the kiss became more intense. Jack slowly pressed Gwen back against the wood of his desk as his tongue explored her mouth.. She sat down on the desk without breaking the kiss and spread her legs so Jack stood comfortably between them.

_**Say goodbye as we dance with the devil tonight.**_

Suddenly as it started it was over, Gwen looked up at Jack, pupils dilated and her lips swollen from his kisses. Jack gestured to the ringing mobile on the table. Gwen cursed, the phone, the caller and mostly herself. Jack smiled and without a word about it went back out into the main room. Gwen checked the call…Rhys. What was she doing? She needed air and perspective but she asked herself,_ What did you expect when you dance with the devil Gwen?_

Fin


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